Powerlist

The Powerlist

Britain’s Most Influential People of African And African Caribbean Heritage.

Introduction

The Powerlist is an annual publication that was first published in 2007 in a bid to provide professional role models for young people of African and African Caribbean heritage.

Since then it has brought a number of people to prominence who were hitherto unknown and has created a network of influencers, many of whom now have commercial relationships with one another and some of whom have become friends. In many ways, we are rebranding black Britain.


The publication is distributed primarily to schools and universities, but it has become heavily requested by corporates as well, as it is recognised as a valuable source of identifying black talent. We are only too keen to assist organisations that are seeking to diversify their staff make-up, particularly at senior levels.

So, how do we decide on who makes the list?

First, we should acknowledge that it is totally subjective, and we (Powerful Media) decide nothing, really. The judges do that. But it works like this. Powerful Media receive nominations from potential new nominees. 

We then put them through a test based on our definition of the word influence, which we define as: ‘the ability to positively alter events and change lives as demonstrated over a reasonable period of time’.


We give each new nominee marks out of 10 on two indices: how influential they are in their immediate sphere of expertise and how far that influence reaches beyond that. The 50 highest rated new nominees are given to our independent (none of them works for, or is associated with Powerful Media Ltd) panel to deliberate over, along with updates on 99 of the 100 incumbent Powerlistees (the previous year’s number one is automatically elevated into the Hall of Fame).


They are given seven days to look over the documentation before locking themselves in a room for eight hours, usually in early August/ late July to deliberate and come up with the final list.

The Powerlist 2023 & The Powerlist Celebration of Black Excellence Awards

Click on the video below to see our ground-breaking virtual online awards event

Powerful Media Virtual Black Excellence Awards 2020

Click on the video below to see our ground-breaking virtual online awards event

Powerlist 2025 Top 10

These are the individuals who topped the 2023 list of the most influential people of African, African American and African Caribbean heritage in the UK

Powerlist Celebration of Black Excellence Awards Winners 2024


PwC Purpose Award

For consistently living out ‘purpose’ and demonstrating solving societal problems and helping drive change in her community.

Nominees:

George King

Senior Wealth Manager, Maseco 

Anne Welsh

Chief Executive Officer at Painless Universal and Former Chairperson of Sickle Cell Society UK

Joseph Harker

Senior Editor, Diversity and Development, The Guardian

Winner

Anne Welsh

Chief Executive Officer at Painless Universal and Former Chairperson of Sickle Cell Society UK

Meta Tech, AI and Innovation Award

For an outstanding individual or organisation, making significant contribution to their community, through passion and selflessness.

Nominees:

Lisa Smith

Partner & Infinite Delivery™ Practice Lead, Deloitte Digital UK

Suki Fuller

Founder and Analytical Storyteller, Miribure

Dr. Rashada Harry

Account Director, Enterprise Sales, Amazon

Renee Hunt

Chief Technology Officer, Compare the Market

Ashleigh Ainsley

Co-founder, Colorintech

Winner

Suki Fuller

Founder and Analytical Storyteller, Miribure

Paramount Entertainer of the Year Award

For an actor, singer or musician who has set the highest standards in their profession throughout their career.

Nominees:

Rapman (Andrew) Onwubolu

Director and Screenwriter

Kingsley Ben-Adir

Actor

Letitia Wright

Actress 

Stephen Toussaint

Actor

Winner

Stephen Toussaint

Actor

Executive Leadership Council Executive of the Year Award

For an executive showing excellence in a corporate setting, from a leadership, performance, and progress perspective.

Nominees:

John McCalla-Leacy

Head of Global Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), KPMG International; Vice Chair for ESG, KPMG UK

Camille Drummond

Senior Vice President of Global Business Services, BP

Afua Kyei

Chief Financial Officer, Bank of England

Ola Fadipe

Senior Director, People Experience, GoogleSenior Director, People Experience, Google

Winner

Afua Kyei

Chief Financial Officer, Bank of England

BP Business of the Year Award

For a black-owned business that can demonstrate growth potential, innovation, community engagement and strong management and leadership.

Nominees:

Wall of Entertainment

Adonia Medical Clinic

Aequitas Global

Good Gate Media

Winner

Wall of Entertainment

London Stock Exchange Group Global Executive Leader Award

For an outstanding leader, based outside the UK, who has demonstrated exceptional vision, innovation, and had a transformative impact on their organisation.

Winner

Racquel Oden

HSBC US Head of Wealth, Premier and Global Private Banking

Salesforce Woman of the Year Award

For a woman who has demonstrated excellence in leadership in her domain or broader.

Nominees:

Sandra M. Wallace

CBE, Joint Managing Director UK & Europe, DLA Piper UK LLP

Professor Patricia Kingori

Professor and Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator, University of Oxford

Comfort Ero

President and CEO, International Crisis Group 

Awo Ablo

EVP for Strategy and Partnerships and Board Director at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change; Member of Board, Oracle

Winner

Professor Patricia Kingori

Professor and Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator, University of Oxford

Mastercard Excellence in Business Globally Award

For achievement at the highest level and personified excellence over a protracted period of time.

Winner

Dr Akinwumi Adesina

President of the African Development Bank

HSBC Outstanding Achievement Award

Winner

Dame Denise Lewis

DBE

2025 Powerlist No. 1 Award (Sponsored by J.P Morgan)

Voted by our judging panel to top this year’s list.

Winner

Dean Forbes

CEO of Forterro, Partner, Corten Capital, Chairman, Forbes Family Group

MEET

The Judges

The task of deciding who makes it on to the Powerlist is down to our formidable judges, who have strict criteria to abide by.

 

First, we receive new nominations and updates from current Powerlisters. Names are put through a rigorous test based on our criteria of influence: ‘The ability to positively alter events and change lives as demonstrated over a meaningful period of time’. Bios of the highest-scoring 150 or so are given to the panel for deliberation.

  • Daniel Taylor

    Daniel Taylor MBE

    Design Specialist


    Daniel Taylor is a renowned and highly respected design specialist with a reputation for designing and building bespoke interiors for public and private sector clients. His career highlights include winning the contract to design the Conservative Party’s new HQ in London, and being a founding member of the Creative Apprenticeships Task Force, a £12m initiative that works with businesses to identify successful apprenticeship practice and opportunities for young people

    • Nominations

    The Powerlist showcases and provides a platform for Britain’s most influential people of African and African Caribbean heritage. With every new edition we avidly search for new people to join the ever-diversifying list. We’ve already started compiling this year’s edition. With that said we encourage you to kindly nominate new potential Powerlistees.


    The criteria we use is our definition of influence; the ability to change lives and alter events positively, as demonstrated over a reasonable period of time.

    Nominate a potential Powerlistee 

    Contact Us

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